CONSERVATION workers have been accused of vandalism at a New Forest beauty spot.

Engineers with an environmental agenda have created a new winding course for the Ober Water stream at Markway Lawn as part of the part EU-sponsored LIFE 3 project.

The former straight Victorian water course has been filled at one end to divert it to the bendy new route, slow the flow and ease erosion.

Heavy excavators were used to carry out the work, brought on site on a route south of Burley New Inclosure.

Brockenhurst resident Olive Collins told the October Court of Verderers she was "horrified to see hundreds of yards of lawn churned into a quagmire by heavy tracked vehicles".

"The damage is such that it will take some considerable time for the grazing to recover to a state where it will be of any use to the animals," she claimed.

"Surely it would have been sensible to allocate some of the funding for the purchase of protective matting which could be used over and over again to minimise the effect on the open forest grazing.

"It is an absolute disgrace that this sort of vandalism is allowed to occur."

She called on the Verderers to insist on damage prevention measures at future projects involving multiple vehicle movements.

Official Verderer Oliver Crosthwaite Eyre assured her the issue would be discussed.

"The Verderers are taking this very seriously," he said.

A Forestry Commission spokesman said: "It was our work but it was done by Environment Agency staff.

"We carried out the work in August to minimise ground damage.

"It did rain on one day but we stood the machines up so they wouldn't create any damage.

"It's my understanding that the ground damage was minimal."

The Environment Agency said 50 staff, three excavators and two dumper trucks were used during the L'Instrument Financial pour l'Environment sustainable wetland restoration project.

EA project manager Maxine Elliott said it will bring "fantastic benefits for wildlife".

First published: October 25